The inaugural THINK Conference, which will take place on Monday April 16th at the Art Gallery of Ontario, will challenge leaders in Ontario’s e-Infrastructure, Higher Education, and the K-12 sectors to focus on interconnectedness and collaboration.

Participants will be inspired by leading educators and innovators:

Laurentian University President, Dominic Giroux

IT & Business Strategy Visionary, David Ticoll

Anne Sado, President of George Brown College

The Hon. Brad Duguid, Minister of Economic Development an Innovation, will speak at Noon and present the ORION Awards, which recognize individuals and groups who have led and championed the use of advanced and collaborative technologies to support research, education, innovation.

“At this time in Ontario there’s unprecedented pressure on organizations to deliver exceptional service with significantly less resources; the THINK Conference will challenge organizational leaders to develop ideas that lead to innovative solutions,” stated Darin P. W. Graham, Ph.D., President and CEO, ORION.

The Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network (ORION) is Ontario’s advanced technology fibre optic network that connects our research and education sectors. ORION is convening the inaugural THINK Conference to focus the organizations it serves to focus on collaboration, sharing best practices and developing ideas that lead to innovative solutions.

Idea-generating sessions will be led by key Ontario thought leaders:

Gerry Connelly, Co Director of the Sustainable Education Academy at York University

Daniela Crivianu-Gaita, VP & CIO, The Hospital for Sick Children

Jim Roche, President & CEO, CANARIE

Roger Singh, Chief Technology Officer, Scalar Decisions

Ilse Treurnicht, CEO of MaRS Discovery District

Dr. Harvey P. Weingarten, President and CEO of The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario

The THINK Conference will challenge organizational leaders in a time of austerity to think differently.